Dinner Tonight: Pea and Ginger Soup

Okay, this really couldn't be simpler. Toss everything into a pot, cook for fifteen minutes, blend, and serve. That's really it. Sure, it's not the best soup I've ever had, but works as a simple side or quick meal. It's hard to find anything bad to say. I suppose the ginger really rescues the dish, or the fact that recipe author Mark Bittman added absolutely nothing else.

Normally I'm leery of blended soups. They tend to be muddy and bland. But this simple soup works because you're not blending a dozen ingredients into an incomprehensible whole. Just stock for body, peas for sweetness, and ginger for spice. I actually had an abundance of peas after making Hainanese Chicken Rice—which is unbelievable, by the way—but was a little surprised that a pea soup would help me get rid of them.

About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a co-founder of The Paupered Chef, a blog dedicated to saving time and money while enjoying food in every way possible. He sells wine for a living and lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Yield:2 to 3

Ingredients

2 cups frozen peas

2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Directions

1.

Pour the chicken stock into a large pot along with the peas and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

2.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.